Such devices are installed particularly in parallel to the inward movement direction of a pallet or the like on the loading floor of an aircraft in the area next to the loading gate. These devices assure a defined loading movement of loads carrying pallets or containers in the cargo hold of an aircraft. In order to assure a proper guiding even if pallets or freight containers of different sizes are being loaded, it is known to arrange suitable guide elements in the area of the loading floor. It is also possible to use a plurality of guide elements next to each other or one behind the other and to use that set of guiding elements which is suitable for a particular load size. The other set of guide elements is then either recessed in the loading floor or altogether removed for the time being.
The just described operation is undesirable because it requires substantial man-hours. Besides, there is the problem that the guide elements cannot be spaced from one another with a sufficiently small spacing between two neighboring guide elements. Thus, the available loading space or loading area may not be used most efficiently. However, the just mentioned considerations have a substantial influence on achieving minimal loading and unloading times, as well as reducing freight costs.